Eraser for writing instruments



Patented Jan. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application for patent, Serial No. 590,927, filed April 28, 1945, now Patent No. 2,454,399, for Pencil erasers.

This invention relates to erasers for semipermanent attachment to writing instruments such as pencils and the like, in particular for association with an automatic pencil having a removable cap.

One object of the invention is the provision of an eraser which is securely held on the pencil yet readily detachable therefrom.

Another object is the provision of an eraser which, in spite of its removability from the pencil, is efiectively supported against telescoping and lateral shifting when in use.

Yet another object is to provide an eraser having two usable ends and in which only a small medial portion of the eraser becomes ultimately unusable for erasing purposes.

How the aforementioned and still other and further objects and advantages of the invention are achieved is set forth in the detailed description which follows and shown on the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a conventional mechanical pencil showing one form of the eraser in attached position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the eraser of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the eraser, its encircling attaching band being shown in section to show one form thereof;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a modified form of the eraser, the end marginal edges of which correspond to those of Fig. 4, the eraser being shown as when attached to a pencil f the type shown in Fig. 2.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, reference numeral Ill indicates generally a conventional mechanical pencil comprising a mechanism enclosing and supporting body H of reduced diameter for a part of its length adjacent its top end to frictionally and telescopingly receive an end piece or cap M. One free edge l3 of cap M, in fully attached condition of the latter, abuts body portion shoulder l2. Body portion l i is typically centrally longitudinally bored as at to receive a supply of extra pencil leads [6.

At its end opposite its free edge cap It is provided with an annular end opening H, the edges of which are slightly inwardly bent to form detent means comprising eraser-holding lips or jaws [8. Below lips or jaws l8 the pencil of Figs. 1, 2 and 5 is provided with a plurality of inwardly directed depressed portions forming shoulders 19, the inner surfaces of which laterally support one end of the hereinafter described two-ended eraser generally indicated by reference numeral 20. The inner end of the hereinafter described ring or band abuts one end of each depressed portion IE to prevent telescoping of the eraser into the cap.

Eraser 2!] comprises a generally cylindrical block of rubber or similar erasive material 2| medially encompassing which is a split metal band or ring 22, the longitudinal split in which is indicated by reference numeral 23. Band 22 is fixedly attached to erasive material 2|, its close fit being enhanced by provision therein of a generally circumferential groove 24, which compresses the material thereunder in the manner shown on the drawings. The further function of groove 24 will be described hereinafter. There is thus provided a preferred form of unitary eraser having an enlarged cross dimension portion medially of its length.

In the forms thereof particularly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, th upper and lower margins of band 22 are of thinner cross dimension than the medial portion of the band and may be bent inwardly to form generally annular erasive-material-impinging lips 25 which cooperate with the inner surfaces of band groove 24 for fixed inter-engagement of band and its underlying material.

Referring now to Fig. 5, it will be noted that in addition to having the single medial circumferential groove 24, the modified form of band therein shown is additionally provided with spaced circumferential grooves St, 30, one of each being located at either side of groove 24 and parallel thereto. Grooves 30, 30 in cooperation with groove 24, and in the case of th form of band shown in Fig. 5, inwardly bent lips 2 5 all cooperate to fixedly hold erasive material 2! firmly engaged with the ring. Additionally, it will be noted that in the attached position of the erasure structure one groove 3!] always extends exteriorly of band impinging cap lips l8 forming a readily accessible depressed portion for'grasping in removing the erasure structure from the cap.

Throughout the drawings it will be noted that inwardly directed cap portion jaws or lips l8 engage circumferential groove 2G in a manner adapted to firmly hold the erasure structure in the outer end of the cap. In use in the pencil of the type shown in Fig. 5, the eraser is inserted .and detached by pressure or pull exerted on the eraser exteriorly of the cap.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a detachable eraser structure of low cost construction comprising a double ended eraser, the major portion of which is usable for erasing purposes, associated with a cap-bearing pencil, the parts of which cooperate to prevent telescoping and lateral shifting of the eraser during use.

Having described my invention in considerable detail I do not wish my highly specific disclosure to be taken in other than an illustrative sense, desiring to be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In an eraser holder for pencils, a sleeve having telescopic relation with the pencil, said sleeve having an upper inturned eraser gripping lip and in- CLARENCE F. NORLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 364,473 Bowman June 7, 1887 1,914,753 Morrell June 20, 1933 1,943,792 Garvey Jan. 16, 1934 2,454,399 Norlin Nov. 23, 1948 

